Package for bar like articles



Sept. 22, 1970 l.. A. zAREMsKl l3,529,718

PACKAGE Foa BAR LIKE ARTICLES Filed oct. 2:5, 196s i 2 Sheets-sheet 1 Sept. 22, 1970 L. A. zAREMsKl 3,529,718

PAQKAGE Foa BAR LIKE ARTICLES Filed oct. 2s, 196s 2 sheets-sheet 2 FIG-5.

INVENTOR u LEONARD A. ZIREWlMv United States Patent O 3,529,718 PACKAGE FOR BAR LIKE ARTICLES Leonard A. Zaremski, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 770,022 Int. Cl. B65d 1/36 U.S. Cl. 206-78 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The invention discloses a package of the blister type in which bar like articles can be packaged and wherein the package can be opened so as to remove one article at a time and wherein, furthermore, filler members are provided which can be placed in the blister of the package to reduce the dimensions thereof to permit packaging articles of different sizes in one and the same basic package.

This invention relates to packages and is particularly concerned with packages for elongated, bar like articles and to an arrangement whereby a minimum number of basic package sizes can be employed for packaging a plurality of sizes of articles.

The particular article with which the invention is illustrated is a tool consisting of a bar like holder with a hard cutting insert brazed on one end thereof but it will be evident that the container or package according to the present invention has utility for other articles of this nature as well.

The handling, storing, and shipping of articles of the nature referred to has always been attended with certain dii'iiculties and one such diiculty pertains to protecting the article properly while at the same time making it convenient to prepare the article for use. Tool holders having inserts brazed on the end thereof, for example, are often coated with a wax like material to protect the insert against being damaged by chipping or the like. This, of course, protects the insert but the wax also conceals the insert from view by the purchaser and, furthermore, makes it necessary that the coating be peeled or stripped from the tool before it is used.

Such tools ordinarily have identifying symbols, indicia, numbers or trademarks stamped into the holder part which it is not desired to cover by the wax like coating so that only the insert ends are coated. Such a coating operation is time consuming and troublesome and, considering the labor involved, is expensive and still leaves the articles thus treated unprotected except for the coated end.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention has as a primary objective the provision of an improved package for bar like articles such as brazed tools of the nature referred to which eliminates the need for the application of protective coatings to the articles.

Another object is a provision of a package of the nature referred to which is inexpensive and convenient to use.

A still further object is the provision of an arrangement for converting a package of a given size to a package for articles of a smaller size so that with a few basic sizes of packages, a wide range of articles of different sizes can be packaged.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a package of the nature referred to in which storage of the packages after articles have been placed therein is simplified and handling of the packages is also a simple matter.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a package of the nature referred to in which the articles contained therein are substantially sealed from the atmosphere and wherein articles can be removed from the pack- 3,529,718 Patented Sept. 22, 1970 ICC age individually while leaving the others of the articles in the package undisturbed.

The several objects referred to above as Well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specication taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a brazed tool of the type adapted for being packaged in a package according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View showing a package according to the present invention and a box in which the basic package is adapted for being mounted for shipping;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional View indicated by line III-III on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view indicated by line IV-IV on FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view looking up from beneath FIG. 3 showing the bottom side of the package;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing an insert or filler member adapted for being placed in a cavity of a package to reduce the size of the cavity;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view like FIG. 3 but shows an insert or filler member like that shown in FIG. 6 in the cavity;

FIG. 8 is a section indicated by line VIII-VIII on FIG. 7; and p FIG. 9 is a view, partly broken away, showing two packages or containers according to the present invention nested together for storage.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail FIG. 1 shows an elongated bar like article in the form of a brazed tool having a steel shank 10 and a cutting insert 12 brazed on the shank at one end. The inserts 12 are generally a hard carbide composition and have iinely finished cutting edges and must be protected against chipping such as could occur if the insert were to be struck on one of the sharpened edges. As has been mentioned, heretofore, such brazed tools have had the insert and thereof coated with a wax or the like which can be stripped from the tool when it is to be used. The present invention proposes to provide a package for articles of the nature shown in FIG. l which eliminates all need for coating the articles and, instead, provides adequate protection for the articles while at the same time providing for packaging of the articles in and easy retrieval of the articles one at a time.

From FIGS. 2 through S it will be seen that the packaging arrangement according to the present invention comprises a base member 14 which is cardboard like except that the upper surface is prepared for having a thin plastic blister member sealed thereto. as by heat sealing.

Base member 14 has a central rectangular at portion 16 and side marginal portions 18 which are connected with central portion 16 by score lines 20 at the side edges of central portion 16.

Base member 14 is adapted to having heat sealed thereto a blister member 22 formed of thin plastic material and having a plurality of blisters 24 each of which defines a cavity 26 with all of the cavities opening toward one and the same side of the blister member. The blister member may, for example, be transparent plastic about 0.020 inch in thickness while the base member 14 may be cardboard on the part of 0.050 inch in thickness.

In over-all dimensions, if viewed in plan, blister member 22 is preferably the sace size of central portion 16 of base member 14. The blister member has a marginal flange 28 extending completely about the blister member and defining a planar area that can readily be heat sealed to backing member 14. Furthermore, between each adjacent pair of blisters 24 the blister member has a planar area 30 also adapted for being heat sealed to backing member 14.

For the purpose of stiffening the assembly and to connect the cavities 26, the blister member is formed with groove means 32 therein on the side facing backing member 14 and interconnecting adjacent ones of the cavities.

As will be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, each blister 24 is in the form of an isosceles trapezoid in both longitudinal and transverse cross sections so that the articles, designated A can readily be received in the cavities while being fairly closely confined therein against movement.

The completed package, when the blisters 24 have articles therein and the blister member and backing member are heat sealed together, is adept for being inserted in a box 40 for shipment. When inserting the package in the box the side marginal portion 18 of the backing member are turned up at right angles thereto and form the side edges of the resulting tray like package which will then fit closely within box 40. With the marginal edges of the base member turned up, the package becomes relatively stiff and, furthermore, the sides of the package are reinforced and protected against damage.

For the purpose of removing the articles singly from the blisters 24, the backing member 14 is provided with regions which can be torn out thereby exposing the cavities individually. As will be seen in FIG. 5, beneath each cavity there is provided a pair of longitudinal lines of perforations 42 and extending between these lines of perforations in about the center thereof is a further line of perforations 44. When an article is to be removed from the package, the line of perforations at 44 can easily be broken as by the thumb, or a knife, or screwdriver, and then the two fiaps defined by the lines of perforations 42 on each side of line 44 can be torn back and the article in cavity directly above the lines 42 and 44 can be removed from the back of the package.

It has been mentioned that the blisters 24 are in the form of isosceles trapezoids in transverse cross section and because of this the packages can be nested for storage before being boxed. The nesting of packages is shown in FIG. 9 wherein a first package P1 has been inverted and is nesting on a second package P2 with the blisters of each package being disposed between those of the other package. Storage of the articles is thus simplified and the articles are protected and can readily be removed from storage and boxed as desired for shipment. It will be obvious that inventory problems are eliminated because of the counting of the articles when packaged according to the present invention is quite simple and rapid.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show a manner in which a blister member of one size can be used to package articles smaller than the cavities in the blister member. This is accomplished by employing a filler member identified at 50V in FIG. 6` and having a marginal fiange 52 adapted to underly the edge of blister member 14 around a cavity of the blister member in which filler element S is placed. Filler element 50 comprises a raised portion 54 presenting a laterally outwardly facing peripheral shoulder which engages the inside walls of the cavity of the blister member in which the filler element is placed. Inwardly from the outer limits of raised portion 54 filter element S0 has a blister portion 56 defining a cavity for receiving an article smaller than that which would normally be placed in the cavity formed by the blister of the main blister member. Blister 56 has end walls 58 and a top wall 60 which, together with backing member 14 define the cavity for the article generally designated at A2. The blister element 50 also comprises one or more protuberant regions 62 on top which engage the underside of the top wall of the cavity of the blister member in which the filler element is placed thereby further to locate and support the filler element in the cavity while also supporting the top wall of the main cavity against being deformed.

For a given main blister member two or three filler members could be provided so that one and the same main package could be used for three or four different sizes of articles. Thus, with three main packages having blisters of substantially different sizes, a total range of from nine to twelve different sizes of articles could readily be packaged. It would be apparent that the range of articles to be packaged could be extended substantially without limit.

Furthermore, while the articles illustrated are more or less regularly shaped, bar like articles, elongated articles of other than such regular shapes could be packaged according to the present invention. Also, while the filler elements illustrated Imerely reduce the size of the main cavity without changing the shape thereof, the filler elements could be so constructed as to define within themselves a cavity of one shape while being receivable in a larger main cavity of a different shape.

In any case, the packaging arrangement is relatively inexpensive and it is more convenient t0 use than the prior method of dipping tools in wax. The storage and shipping of articles when using the package of the present invention is simplified; the checking of articles in inventory and storage is also simplified; and it is a simple -matter for the user of the articles, especially when the articles are tools to remove them from the package and whereupon the article is ready for immediate use.

It is contemplated that a single package would contain tools or articles of one size only.

Modifications can be made in the invention falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a packaging arrangement for bar like articles; a blister member of thin transparent material, said blister member being rectangular when viewed in plan and having a plurality of blisters distributed along the length thereof forming a plurality of identical parallel cavities elongated in the direction of the width of said blister member, said cavities all opening to the same side of the blister member and each adapted relatively closely to receive a said bar like article, said blister member being formed with a longitudinal groove extending between each pair of adjacent blisters at the ends thereof, said grooves opening onto the same side of the blister member as the cavities, a backing member also rectangular when viewed in plan and adapted for having said blister member sealed thereto in face to face relation with the said cavities opening toward the backing member so articles in said cavities are confined therein, the side marginal portions of said backing member extending laterally beyond the lateral edges of said blister member and being scored along lines parallel to and spaced inwardly from the side edges of the backing member and adjacent the lateral edges of said blister member whereby the marginal portions of said backing member at the lateral sides thereof can be bent upwardly so said backing member can be formed into a tray which is relatively stiff against bending and which is adapted to be introduced endwise into a close fitting box, each marginal portion when so bent up extending to about the same height as said blisters, and said ybacking member having perforations therein forming weakened tearable lines therein at each cavity to permit the backing member readily to be torn open at each cavity to expose the respective cavity and permit the article therein to be removed therefrom.

2. A packaging arrangement according to claim 1 which includes blister like filler elements formed of thin transparent Imaterial and smaller in dimension than said cavities so as to be receivable in said cavities, said filler elements being adapted for closely receiving bar like articles dimensionally smaller than those which fit in the said cavities of the blister member, each said filler element having marginal fiange means adapted to underly the blister member at the edge of the respective cavity when the blister member is sealed to said backing member.

3. A packaging arrangement according to claim 2 in which each filler element also has laterally outwardly facing shoulder means thereon adjacent the side of said filler element nearest said backing member engaging the inner peripheral wall of the respective cavity of the blister member and holding the ller element in a predetermined lateral and longitudinal position in the respective cavity of the blister member when the blister member is sealed to said backing member.

4. A packaging arrangement according to claim 3 in which each said filler member has protuberant means projecting upwardly from the top wall thereof and engaging longitudinally spaced regions of the inside of the top wall of the respective cavity in said blister member.

5. A packaging arrangement according to claim 4 in which said protuberant means comprises a raised portion near each end of the said ller element.

3/ 1964 Holley et al. 3/ 1968 Repko. 5/ 1968 Phipps.

JAMES B. MARBER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

